JJ Grey & Mofro headline Halloween at Soul Kitchen

Soul Kitchen is known for their extravagant Halloween soirees. A mass of costumed music junkies fill the confines of this LoDa venue, where they are treated to an evening of festive sounds. For Halloween 2013, Soul Kitchen is bringing local favorite JJ Grey & Mofro back for an evening of musical thrills and chills.

Since its 2007 debut “Country Ghetto,” the Azalea City has watched this Florida band’s popularity grow with each visit. Last time Grey rolled through town, he was promoting his 2008 Southern groove masterpiece “Orange Blossoms.” The Tampa-based Rock Brothers Brewing Co. has even crafted a “JJ Grey’s Nare Sugar Brown” beer. When he takes the Soul Kitchen stage this time, he will be giving the crowd a live taste of his latest release “This River.”

Grey’s sound has grown exponentially since “Orange Blossoms.” “This River” is tasty blend of soul overdose and Southern rock revival. Big horns mingle with classic rock guitar throughout the album, and Grey accents the situation with raw, powerful vocals. Producers Grey and Dan Prothero must have felt this vibe as well. The overall old school sound of “This River” is matched perfectly with the vibe created by Grey’s new tracks.

About The Author

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s.
He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing.
While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer.
His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade.
As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children.
Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.